A collodion film, which transfers a ceramic image to a porcelain or glass surface, shrinks in the process of adhering to this surface and drying, and thus the original size of the image is reduced. Similarly, each of the many films produced from the identical amount of liquid collodion (in identical circumstances), while adhering to the surface, shrinks and deforms the ceramic image in different ways. Consequently, it is practically impossible to set together ceramic images made of a set of separation negatives so as to place their contours one over the other, if these images are to be transferred by collodion films.
However, image transferring films made of formulas of the present invention and used in accordance with known methodologies do not change their size in the process of adhering to the surface. Thus, these films do not cause deformation of the transferred image, and they make possible setting together the subsequent constituent images of the final photographic picture with great precision.
It is a significant aspect of this invention that, with the help of the subtractive color process, appropriate sets of transparent and opaque ceramic colors or mineral pigments, applied one over another, are used. This will enable one to obtain full-color photographs, rather than the multicolor photographs obtained by the known processes.
From a photograph or a slide, separation negatives are made, i.e., black-and-white separation negatives of the basic colors of the photograph. This is generally done in the manner outlined below.
A photo reproduction is made from the photograph on black and white, color-sensitive, fine-grain photographic negative film, such as, for example, KODAK T-MAX 100 film. A picture of the photograph is taken four times. Each of these photographs is taken under identical light conditions and at the same distance. The first photograph is taken without a photographic filter, the second with a blue filter, the third with a green filter, and the fourth with a red filter.
A suitable set of additive filters (i.e., blue, green, red) is used, such as, for example, KODAK WRATTEN: No. 47 blue, No. 58 green, No. 25 red. For each of the four photographs, appropriate parameters of exposure are selected. The expose film is processed with standard photochemicals according to technology appropriate to the negative used (i.e., using as a KODAK T-MAX developer).
This processing results in four negatives of the reproduced photograph that differ from each other. Each of these negatives is copied separately to a half-tone, low-contrast, black and white cut graphic film, such as, for example, ORWO FP-1 film. All copies have the same format, which is also the same as the format of the final photograph.
The exposed film is processed with standard photograph chemicals according to the technology appropriate to the film used (developer ORWO A-71, 20.degree. C., 3-5 minutes).
This processing results in a positive set of four black and white separation negatives of the reproduced photograph.
Finally, when all the steps described in this method are carried out, a positive set of the following separation negatives resulting from the reproduction of the original photograph is obtained:
______________________________________ a) without a filter a positive black and white separation negative, which is employed to produce a layer of the image with the use of black ceramic color, b) with the blue filter a positive black and white separation negative, which is employed to produce a layer of the image with the use of yellow ceramic color, c) with the green filter a positive black and white separation negative, which is employed to produce a layer of the image with the use of purple ceramic color, d) with the red filter a positive black and white separation negative, which is employed to produce a layer of the image with the use of blue-green ceramic color. ______________________________________
Separate contact copies of each of the positive set of four separation negatives are made on four pieces of low contrast, black and white cut graphic film, such as, for example, ORWO FU-2. One separation negative is copied on one piece of cut graphic film. Then exposed pieces of film are processed according to standard techniques suitable for the film used (developer ORWO A-71, 20.degree. C., 3-5 minutes). As a result of this processing, a negative set of four separation negatives of the reproduced photograph is obtained.
The process of the present invention describes a new method for making color photographs. In the present invention, full-tone, full-color images made by using a set of transparent and opaque ceramic colors or mineral pigments can be permanently fixed to bases. Such bases include ceramics (porcelain), glass and plastic. The images made by the process of the present invention have the advantages of invariability of image, color permanence, mechanical resistance, and a lack of susceptibility to physical and chemical conditions such as changes in atmospheric conditions, low and high temperatures, radiation (which ruins conventional photographs), and passage of time, to a degree equal to the resistance of the materials on which they are made.
The process of making photographs in accordance with the present invention can have broad applications in ceramics, glass, artificial materials, construction, architecture, applied and fine arts, documentation, and museum management.